So what exactly is Rolfing? To many it conjures up as an extremely painful experience. Unfortunately, there is very little truth to this rumor. It can create intense sensation. Pain in massage therapy should always be a brief experience to alert the Rolfer to fascia that is stuck in an adhesive pattern. A well trained Rolfer/Structural Integrationist should be conscious and respectful of their clients needs.
Oftentimes patients are willing to deal with some pain, especially if the session was successful in alleviating the painful condition that brought them to me. My Rolfing technique is more gentle than others, as I believe I can apply the technique a few extra times or longer to get the same results by allowing the body to adapt to the pressure. In reality, it is my opinion that all we are really doing is mirroring for the bodies own homeostatic response. Let me take you in for a deeper look into the world of Rolfing.
It was Dr. Rolf’s theory that pain in the human organism, both physical and emotional, was based on our relationship with gravity and its effect on our fascial membranes. Force vectors that enter the body either physically, or emotionally, can effect the physical structure. Just like a geodesic dome, our structure is totally interrelated, and any force that enters the system can be held in other parts of the structure. Through skillful application of technique a Rolfer/Structural Integrationist can inform the system of its imbalance and ultimately change the structure to a place of more ease, freeing up energy that is used unnecessarily to hold patterns of imbalance.
The plastic connective tissue which links all the internal structures of our human frame is called the fascial network. It is malleable and can be influenced by external responses. Fascia also surrounds internal organs and can impact them as well. Sometimes these external forces can create imbalances which result in painful conditions. Rolfing is a very specific technique, and as I have told my clients, doesn’t resemble the classic Swedish Massage technique that they have experienced prior to coming for a Rolfing session
One thing you will notice with Rolfers, is that the strokes that we apply to the patient’s body are very slow and often times without the use of any lubrication. We can change our patient/clients posture by the nature of fascia’s sliding, elastic capacity. This is the main reason that our clients can become pain free, their bodies are aligned in gravity. Send them out the door with some movement cues and education, and the changes that they have experienced can last a lifetime.
Rolfing has a proven track record as not only a performance enhancement regime, but as a premier tool in the prevention of many very painful injuries. Is is a chemical free, manual therapy that has a proven track record for over 50 years. I can not recommend enough the inclusion of this brilliant technique in your health and wellness regimen.
Want to find out more about Rolfing, then visit Judah Lyons’s site on how to choose the best pain for your needs.
Tags: alternative health, alternative health care, arthritis, continuing education, health, healthcare, massage therapy, pain, physical therapy, wellness